Among the 115 known chemical elements today, many received its name in honor of the heroes of Greek mythology, the gods.Others called for the names of famous scientists and explorers.Others were called on countries, cities, geographical features.Particularly interesting is the history of the name of the element vanadium.Yes, and in itself this metal is quite important and has special characteristics.Therefore, we consider it in more detail.
Vanadium - a chemical element in the periodic table
If characterize this element of the position in the periodic table, it is possible to identify several key points.
- Located high in the fourth period, the fifth group, the main subgroups.
- serial number - 23.
- atomic mass of the element - 50.9415.
- chemical symbol - V.
- Latin name - vanadium.
- Russian name - vanadium.The chemical element in the formula is read as "vanadium".
- is a typical metal exhibits reducing properties.
The position of elements in the system it is obvious that as a simple substance active element will have properties similar to those of tantalum and niobium.
avilable atom
Vanadium - chemical element, atomic structure which expresses the general formula e 3d34s2.Obviously, due to such a configuration and the valency and oxidation state may exhibit dissimilar values.
This formula allows us to predict the properties of vanadium as a simple matter - it is a typical metal, forming a large number of different compounds, including complex.
characteristic valence oxidation state
Thanks to the three unpaired electrons in the 3d sublevel vanadium may be the +3 oxidation state.However, it is not the only one.In total there are four possible values:
- +2;
- +3;
- +4;
- +5.
This vanadium - an element, which also has a valence of two indicators: IV and V. This is why the present compounds in a variety of atoms, and they all have a beautiful color painting.Especially this famous water complex and a metal salt.
Vanadium: a chemical element.History of the name
If we talk about the history of the discovery of the metal, it is necessary to refer to the beginning of the XVIII century.During this period, in 1801, Mexican Del Rio was able to find him an unknown element in the composition of lead rock sample which he studied.After a series of trials, del Rio received several beautifully colored metal salts.He gave it the name "erythron", but later took him for a chromium salt, so the palm of the opening is not received.
Later another scientist, Sefstrom Swede managed to obtain this metal, separating it from the iron ore.This chemist doubt that the element is new and unknown, was not.Therefore, it is precisely the discoverer.Together with Jens Berzelius he gave the name of the discovery of the elements - vanadium.
Why is that?In Norse mythology, there is one goddess who is the personification of love, endurance, loyalty and devotion.She is the goddess of beauty.Her name was Vanadis.Once scientists have studied the properties of the compounds of the element, it became quite obvious that they are very beautiful, color.A metal addition to the alloy greatly enhances the quality and durability and stability.Therefore, in honor of the goddess Vanadis and it was given the name of an unusual and important metals.
Vanadium - a chemical element that is in the form of a simple substance was received even later.Only in 1869, the English chemist H. Roscoe was able to identify the metal in free form of rock.Another scientist F. Weller has been proven that the observed once del Rio "chrome" is vanadium.However, to this day the Mexican did not live, and his discovery did not find out.In Russia it is the name of the element due to GI Hess.
simple substance vanadium
As a simple matter under consideration is a metal atom.He has a number of physical properties.
- Color: silvery white, shiny.
- Fragile, hard, heavy, as the density is 6.11 g / cm3.
- Melting point - 1920 0 C, which allows it to include refractory metals.
- on air is not oxidized.
As in free form in nature to meet his impossible, then people have to set it apart from the composition of the various minerals and rocks.
Vanadium - metal element that exhibits relatively high reactivity when heated, and under certain conditions.If we talk about the standard environmental conditions, it is able to respond only to concentrated acids, aqua regia.
With some non-metals generates binary compounds, reactions occur at high temperatures.The molten alkali soluble, forming complexes - vanadates.Oxygen as a strong oxidizing agent soluble in vanadium, and the more, the higher the temperature of heating the mixture.
Being in nature and isotopes
If we talk about the spread of the atom in nature, vanadium - a chemical element that belongs to diffuse.It is a part of almost all large rocks, ores and minerals.But nowhere is it not more than 2%.
content in the crust significantly and is 1.9 * 10-7.For this indicator, it is ahead of copper, zinc, lead.Proper rock metal does not form, however, there are several fields that are considered is vanadium.They contain the iron in the crystal lattice of which the vanadium atoms are incorporated in a large amount.
It breeds such as:
- vanadinite;
- cartridges;
- carnotite;
- Chile.
also can be found in the composition of the metal:
- ash plants;
- ocean water;
- bodies sea squirts, sea cucumbers;
- organisms, terrestrial plants and animals.
Speaking of isotopes of vanadium, that only two of them: with mass number 51, which is the vast majority - 99.77%, and with a mass number of 50, which is scattered radioactive and occurs in trace amounts.
Vanadium compounds
We have already pointed out that, as a chemical element in the metal shows sufficient activity to generate a large number of different compounds.Thus there are the following types of substances with vanadium.
- oxides.
- hydroxides.
- binary salts (chlorides, fluorides, bromides, sulfides, iodides).
- hydroxy compounds (oxychlorides oxybromide, oksitriftoridy etc.).
- Complex salt.
Since the valence of the element varies widely, and it turns out a lot of substance.The main distinguishing feature of all of them - is the color.Vanadium - chemical element analysis of compounds which shows that color can range from white and yellow to red and blue, including shades of green, orange, black and purple.Partly this was the reason that was given the name of the atom, because it really looks very nice.
However, many of the compounds are obtained only under rather stringent reaction conditions.In addition, the majority of them - toxic, dangerous to humans.Physical state of matter can be very different.For example, chlorides, bromides and fluorides - often dark pink, green, or black crystals.A oxides - in the form of powders.
preparation and the use of metal
Get vanadium, releasing it from rocks and ores.Moreover, those minerals which contain even 1% of the metal, considered to be extremely rich in vanadium.After separation of the sample mixture of iron and vanadium it is transferred into the concentrated solution.From this was isolated by acidification of vanadate solution, which later is obtained a highly concentrated sample, with a metal content up to 90%.
Then, this dried precipitate was calcined in the furnace and the vanadium reduced to the metallic state.In this form the material is ready for use.
Vanadium - element, which is quite widely used in industry.Especially in mechanical and smelting of steel alloys.You can define several main areas of use of the metal.
- Textiles.
- glassmaking.
- production of ceramics and rubber.
- coatings industry.
- Obtaining and synthesis of chemicals (sulfate production).
- Making nuclear reactors.
- aviation and shipbuilding, mechanical engineering.
Vanadium - a very important alloying component for light, strong, corrosion-resistant alloys, mainly steel.No wonder it is called the "road metal."
